[OLUG] Program idea.

Vincent Raffensberger vraffensberger at csm.edu
Tue Jan 4 16:51:39 UTC 2000


Tim Russell wrote:
> 
> 
> Oh, okay, I see now, but geez, no need to be a jerk about it!

Sorry about that.

> 
> In response, I would say, good damn luck getting anyone to successfully
> track anything back from one of those Mindspring-UUnet-god-only-knows POPs
> that are shared by every ISP in the country.  Most ISPs that use those would
> be hard-pressed to track things back even as far as a username, much less a
> location, and you'd have to go through a lot of red tape to get them to
> release the info.  A smaller ISP, maybe, but not those.

That's why I mentioned submitting some routing information and a
username.  I testified in a legal case once and all the evidence was
disregarded because none of the log files submitted included the MAC
address.  That's what I testified to.  It's only way to positivly
identify a computer on a network.  It may be the same situation trying
to get a search warrant.

> 
> Overall, I'd say go for it if you like, but I think the chances of getting
> your laptop back with a program like that are, oh, say about 1 in 30 or so,
> if that good.  You're assuming that someone who's smart enough to set up
> their own dialup connection isn't going to be smart enough to wipe the hard
> drive and do a new install first.  I know that's what I'd do.
> 

Regarding the intelligence of theives:  The last two computers stolen
from CSM were a 486/33 and a P133.  These were taken from the same rooms
that PII-500 sytems w/19" monitors were located.  Apparently they know
little about computers, but I believe anyone can set-up a compuserve
account from a CD.  My mother did even!

-- 
Vincent Raffensberger		College of Saint Mary
Network Administrator		1901 S. 72nd. St.
402-399-2433                    Omaha, NE 68124

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by OLUG Mailing list Manager, run by ezmlm.  http://olug.bstc.net/ 
To unsubscribe: `echo unsubsribe | mail olug-unsubscribe at bstc.net` 



More information about the OLUG mailing list